Hinge with a pair of parallel pivots



March 26, 1968 R. L. HORSTMAN 3,374,499

HINGE WITH A PAIR OF PARALLEL: PIVOTS Filed Sept. 12, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 If)! Pig. 2 F156! I I NVE N TOR. v 1905597 4. #0237444 ATTORNEVS.

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l iillm| m H F v M WV 4 VIII I. Hu l IHMHH FHHH IH IHH HHHH I l-HI HHHH H HHIH m 4 L w T m M United States Patent 3,374,499 HINGE WITH A PAIR OF PARALLEL PIVOTS Robert L. Horstman, Clarks Summit, Pa., assignor to McKinney Manufacturing Company, Scranton, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Sept. 12, 1966, Ser. No. 578,650 Claims. (Cl. 16163) This invention relates to hinges, and more particularly to the type in which a pair of hinge leaves turn on parallel axes.

It is among the objects of this invention to provide such a hinge which can extend the full height of a door, which conceals the crack between the door and the jamb, can be quickly assembled, which is simple in construction and in which the hinge leaves are geared together.

In accordance with this invention, a channel has a web and side flanges, the inner sides of the flanges being provided with longitudinal rack teeth. Disposed inside the channel lengthwise thereof is a pivot bar that is spaced from the channel. The bar has cylindrical edge portions adjacent the channel flanges to form parallel pivot pins. Extending outwardly away from the open side of the channel is a pair of opposed hinge leaves, along the inner edges of which extend transversely arcuate barrel segments. These segments are disposed in the channel between its flanges and the pivot bar and fit part way around the pivot pins for rotation around them. The outside of each barrel is provided with longitudinal gear teeth meshing with the adjoining rack teeth. Consequently, when the hinge leaves are swung apart, the barrel segments will move the channel web away from those segments.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which FIG. 1 is a side view of the closed door taken from the hinge side;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged plan view of the hinge connected to the door and door jamb;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary view, similar to FIG. 1, but showing the door opened 180;

FIG. 4 is a reduced fragmentary side view taken on the line IV1V of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged horizontal section of the hinge taken on the line V-V of FIG. 4.

Referring to FIGS. 1, 2 and 4 of the drawings, two laterally spaced hinge leaves 1 and 2 are shown opposed to each other in substantially parallel relation. In one use of this hinge it is disposed vertically with one leaf attached to a door jamb 3 and the other leaf 2 supporting a door 4 in the door opening. The hinge leaves are long, extending substantially the full height of the door. The two leaves project from one side of the closed door and are joined to transversely arcuate barrel segments 5, which extend vertically along the projecting edges of the leaves. The inner surface of each barrel segment forms more than 180 of a cylinder but generally less than 270. The barrel segments fit part way around a pair of laterally spaced, parallel pivot pins 6, which are the enlarged, cylindrical edge portions of a vertical pivot bar 7. The body of the bar forms a web connecting the pins.

The pivot bar and the hinge barrel segments are dis posed inside a vertical channel 8 that has a pair of side flanges projecting from the web of the channel past both barrel segments. The inner sides of the flanges are provided with rack teeth 9 extending lengthwise of the flanges, and the outside of each barrel is provided with longitudinal gear teeth 10 meshing with the adjacent rack teeth. While the door is closed, as shown in FIG. 2, the rack teeth nearest the channel web are in engagement with the barrel teeth. The channel can be prevented from 3,3 74,499 Patented Mar. 26, 1968 sliding downwardly by fastening to its upper end a clip 11 that will engage the top of the pivot bar 7.

To support hinge leaf 2 and also prevent the pivot bar from sliding down, the barrel segments are notched to provide them with at least one pair of opposed gaps 13. For best results, there are two or more pairs of these gaps spaced along the length of the hinge. Filling each pair of gaps is a bearing block 14 that fits snugly around the pivot pins as shown in FIG. 5. The barrel segment joined to hinge leaf 2 rests on these bearing blocks and turns on them. The bearing blocks may be made of a suitable hearing material, preferably a synthetic plastic such as nylon or Teflon which has some flexibility and can be formed to tightly grip the pivot bar to support it from the barrel segment of hinge leaf 1. Each bearing block has parallel side faces engaging the crests of the channel teeth for a purpose that will be explained below.

The various parts of this hinge can be assembled by first placing the hinge leaves beside each other with barrel gaps 13 opening upwardly. The bearings 14- are then placed in the gaps and the pivot bar is inserted in the barrel segments from one end and then pushed lengthwise of them until it extends through all of the bearings and from end to end of the barrels. The channel then is slid lengthwise of the barrel segments with its innermost teeth meshing with the barrel teeth.

It will be seen that when the door that is supported by this hinge is swung open, the barrel segment attached to the door will rotate around the adjoining pivot pin, and the teeth on that barrel will roll outwardly along the adjoining flange of the channel. This will cause the opposite flange to swing around the other barrel segment so that by the time the door has been opened about 180 as shown in FIG. 3, the channel teeth at the outer edges of the channel flanges will be engaging the barrel teeth. The channel will have turned about from its original position and the pivot bar will be near the open side of the channel. As the door is opened, the web of channel 8 will move away from the hinge barrels. During this movement the channel flanges will slide along the opposite sides of the bearing blocks 14, which will maintain the body of pivot bar 7 parallel to the channel web.

It is desirable to provide the inner side of the pivot bar with an integral central rib 16 extending lengthwise of the bar. Each side of the rib is concentric with the adjacent pivot pin to form an arcuate slot for receiving the inner end portion of the adjacent barrel segment when the hinge leaves are swung apart. Entrance of the segments into the slots prevents any tendency of the segments to be sprung away from the pivot pins if the door is opened too vigorously.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, I have explained the principle of my invention and have illustrated and described what I now consider to represent its best embodiment. However, I desire to have it understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described.

I claim:

1. A hinge comprising a channel having a web and side flanges, the inner sides of said flanges being provided with longitudinal rack teeth, a pivot bar disposed inside the channel lengthwise thereof and spaced therefrom, the bar having cylindrical edge portions adjacent said flanges forming parallel pivot pins, a pair of opposed hinge leaves extending outwardly away from the open side of the channel, and a transversely arcuate barrel segment extending lengthwise along the inner edge of each hinge leaf and joined thereto, the barrel segments being disposed in said channel between said flanges and pivot bar and fitting part way around said pivot pins for rotation thereon, and the outside of said barrel segments being provided with longitudinal gear teeth meshing with said rack teeth, whereby when said hinge leaves are swung apart the barrel segments will move the Channel web away from the segments. I

2. A hinge according to claim 1, in Which said pivot bar is provided with a central rib extending lengthwise thereof between the bar and the Web of the channel, each side of the rib being concentric with the adjacent pivot pin to form an arcuate slot therebetween for receiving the inner end portion of the adjacent barrel segrnerYt when said leaves are swung apart.

3. A hinge according to claim 1, in which said barrel segments have at least one pair of opposed gaps therein, and a bearing block filling the pair of gaps and fitting around said pivot pins.

4. A hinge according to claim 3, in which said bearing block has parallel side faces in sliding engagement with said rack teeth.

5. A hinge according to claim 3, in which said bearing block tightly grips said pivot bar.

References Cited BOBBY R. GAY, Primary Examiner. 

1. A HINGE COMPRISING A CHANNEL HAVING A WEB AND SIDE FLANGES, THE INNER SIDES OF SAID FLANGES BEING PROVIDED WITH LONGITUDINAL RACK TEETH, A PIVOT BAR DISPOSED INSIDE THE CHANNEL LENGTHWISE THEREOF AND SPACED THEREFROM, THE BAR HAVING CYLINDRICAL EDGE PORTIONS ADJACENT SAID FLANGES FORMING PARALLEL PIVOT PINS, A PAIR OF OPPOSED HINGE LEAVES EXTENDING OUTWARDLY AWAY FROM THE OPEN SIDE OF THE CHANNEL, AND A TRANSVERSELY ARCUATE BARREL SEGMENT EXTENDING LENGTHWISE ALONG THE INNER EDGE OF EACH HINGE LEAF AND JOINED THERETO, THE BARREL SEGMENTS BEING DISPOSED IN SAID CHANNEL BETWEEN SAID FLANGES AND PIVOT BAR AND FITTING PART AWAY AROUND SAID PIVOT PINS FOR ROTATION THEREON, AND THE OUTSIDE OF SAID BARREL SEGMENTS BEING PROVIDED WITH LONGITUDINAL GEAR TEETH MESHING WITH SAID RACK TEETH, WHEREBY WHEN SAID HINGE LEAVES ARE SWUNG APART THE BARREL SEGMENTS WILL MOVE THE CHANNEL WEB AWAY FROM THE SEGMENTS. 